The present invention generally relates to devices for the inhalation of volatile components of a substance, or more particularly to a sophisticated apparatus for the vaporization of materials that release active constituents for inhalation without the creation of harmful byproducts associated with combustion of materials, which is easy to use and provides accurate temperature control and air flow.
Well known within the art is the use of combustion of substances to enable inhalation of volatile materials contained therein. However, recently the hazards associated with such behavior has become well known and of great concern. This process is known as “smoking” and generally involves oxidation, hydrogenation, cracking, distillation and sublimation. Oxidation, hydrogenation, and cracking result in the formation of chemical compounds not present in the original source material and it is these products not present in the original source material that are generally recognized as the most hazardous aspect of smoking. As such it is desirable to heat a substance such that distillation and sublimation occur without combustion. By eliminating combustion as a heat source, the health risks are minimized while enabling the beneficial properties present in the volatile compounds to be utilized.
Plant matter such as tobacco or other herbal medicines, when smoked are also not properly utilized to maximum efficiency. As much as 95% of the active material can be wasted in order to absorb 5% or less of the same. Also, much of the active ingredients and helpful medicines are destroyed by combustion. Various attempts have been tried to overcome the problems associated with smoking.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,586 issued to Morgan discloses an article in which a replaceable tobacco flavor medium is electrically heated by a set of permanent reusable heaters to evolve inhalable flavors or other components in vapor or aerosol form. Each heater heats only a portion of the available tobacco flavor medium so that a plurality of individual puffs of tobacco flavor substance can be delivered sequentially to the smoker. The tobacco flavor medium preferably contains tobacco materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,33,574 issued to Ingebrethsen discloses an aerosol delivery article which provides delivery of aerosol particles of relatively small size without the necessity of exposing the material which is aerosolized to a significant degree of heat or high temperatures. An aerosol forming material is a multi-component material comprising an active ingredient and another ingredient having a relatively low vaporization temperature, and preferably that aerosol forming material is in the form of an emulsion. The aerosol forming material is nebulized so as to provide first stage multi-component aerosol particles of fairly large size. The first stage aerosol particles then are subjected to heat so as to vaporize the other ingredient of that aerosol and cause further dispersion of that first stage aerosol. As such, a second stage aerosol composed of fine particles of active ingredient is provided. The heat used to cause the further dispersion of the first stage aerosol is less than that sufficient to cause vaporization, thermal decomposition or undesirable chemical alteration of the active ingredient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,962 issued to Counts discloses a Flavor Delivery Article Method and Apparatus. The Counts Patent electrically heats a material in order to release the flavor. While the Counts patent represented an advancement within the art, the Counts Patent utilizes direct heat between the heating element and the medium to effect heat transfer by conduction. This method is flawed in that it does not provide for the optimum temperature according to the material. Also, the material is embedded in the apparatus. A more sophisticated apparatus that allows for the efficient release of desirable elements of a substance is needed.
When tobacco is smoked, many toxic & carcinogenic substances are produced in the process of attempting to ignite and absorb the active component—nicotine. However, it may be desirable to have an apparatus which does not ignite the tobacco, but rather allows for the delivery of nicotine into the blood stream without the tar and other carcinogenic compounds associated with smoking. Such an apparatus would be a revolutionary breakthrough for those trying to quit smoking. Further, given the hazards associated with secondary smoke, a smokeless device is needed to protect non-smokers.
Also, a device is needed which may be used to deliver drugs such as morphine and other opiates that are currently being delivered intravenously. This may also solve many of the problems associated with heroin addicts, such as needle sharing which can lead to dangerous exposure to various diseases. A device is needed which would allow for the delivery of such drugs safely. Currently, devices such as nebulizers may be used to accomplish this. Such devices are flawed, though, in that they require special mixtures of the drugs that must be made into a fog using ultrasound. The present invention does not require the drugs to be specially formulated, but rather allows for an apparatus which may adjust the delivery mode according to the substance being used.
This may also be desirable to health care professionals who do not want to risk exposure to diseases by way of administering needles to patients who may have unknown diseases. Any place where a clean, easy and efficient means of delivering the active elements of a substance would benefit from the present invention.
Accordingly, there is a need for a clean and easy to use device that allows for the release of the essential active elements of a substance through vaporization using just enough heat and air to release them without burning the substance and without creating the toxic byproducts of combustion and denaturing of the initial source material while effectively and optimally delivering a multitude of active elements of different substances.